{"id":12180,"date":"2026-01-21T23:37:35","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T05:37:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=12180"},"modified":"2026-01-21T23:37:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T05:37:35","slug":"rex-christopher-hoffman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/rex-christopher-hoffman\/","title":{"rendered":"Echoes of Chickadee Valley: A Conversation with Christopher Hoffman on \u2018Rex\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When one thinks of the great artistic cataloging of North American bird paintings, John James Audubon’s name often first comes to mind. That connection makes sense given that his best-known work, the multi-volume The Birds of America<\/em> (1827-1838), featured four hundred and thirty-five paintings covering four hundred and eighty-nine species. Painting that many birds was a formidable feat, no doubt, but it is dwarfed in quantity by the work of Rex Brasher. Although lesser known, the sheer volume of Brasher\u2019s output – twelve hundred species on eight hundred and seventy-five watercolor paintings – is nothing short of daunting. But even more important was the intricate care and precision he insisted upon. The self-taught Brasher pushed for nothing short of perfection in his work. He destroyed nearly seven hundred paintings when he found himself unsatisfied with them. When technology failed to sufficiently produce his twelve-volume Birds and Trees of North America<\/em> to his liking, he hand-colored all eighty-seven thousand pages himself. Given his clear love and dedication for his work, it is obvious why other artists could find inspiration in Rex Brasher\u2019s oeuvre. Christopher Hoffman<\/a>\u2019s first solo cello record, Rex<\/em> (Out of Your Head, 2026), ostensibly taps into this aspect of Brasher\u2019s life. Yet that is only part of the story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hoffman first became aware of Brasher after stumbling upon the painter\u2019s hundred and sixteen-acre retreat in Kent, Connecticut. The rural land, which the painter dubbed Chickadee Valley, was where he finished most of the work later in life. And it is largely the land itself that is present on Rex<\/em>, with Hoffman looking less at Brasher\u2019s specific works and more at the sights that made him who he was. In so doing, the tracks reveal a deeper understanding of the artist\u2019s underlying humanity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brasher was not some automaton who cranked out painting after painting. He was a man who experienced both great joy and sorrow. The playfulness of the gently plucked \u201cPal\u201d evokes the games of fetch Brasher once played with his canine pet for whom the track is named. \u201cMarie”\u2019s reflective tenderness suggests the great love Brasher had for her. \u201cResting Place,\u201d however, shows the pain suffered when both left this life.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The painter was seemingly driven to artistic perfection not out of braggadocio or obsession but a deep reverence for the natural wonder that enveloped him daily and a desire to share it with those who may never experience such beauty firsthand.  Fittingly, the introspective lyricism of \u201cSnow Owls\u201d and the gliding gracefulness of \u201cSwallowtail Kite\u201d reflect both paintings and their subject matter.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part electronic, part acoustic, over the last several years, Hoffman has developed one of the most distinctive voices on the cello. Rex<\/em> finds him using his idiosyncracies to soar to emotional depths never before explored in his work; themes of love, loss, and the need to cherish the moments around us.  While Hoffman was initially hesitant to release a solo cello recording – there are too many great other ones already out in the world – his concern was for naught.  Rex<\/em> rules alongside the best solo cello records. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PostGenre: How did you first learn about Rex Brasher?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Christopher Hoffman: My partner and I were moving out of Brooklyn. I really wanted to get out of the city. We found a place on Zillow. We went up there, and I met a guy named Matthew [Schnepf], who showed us Rex\u2019s house. When he did, he told us that Rex Brasher lived there. At that point, I didn\u2019t know who Rex was, and Matthew sent me a Washington Post article about Rex. That’s how I first learned of Rex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I then found a two-volume set of Rex\u2019s Birds & Trees of North America, which is not as nice as the full twelve-volume set that was originally produced. And with that, I started digging deeper into Rex\u2019s story. The house is incredible, and it comes with a great history.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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